Wire-stretching machine.



H. EDWARDS & M. P. SADLER.

WIRE STRBTGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

91 5,753. Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

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11. EDWARDS D M. F. .SADDDRl WIRE STRETGING MAGHINE. DPPDIOATIDN FILEDMAY 1 1, 1908.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

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HENFY FDWARDs ANDMILLARD F. sADLFR,l oF TRoUP, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRFTGHNG MAGHINE.-

Specificationv of Letters Patent.

Patented March 23, 1909.

` Application led May 11, 1908. Serial No. 432,180.

To all whom it 'may concern: Y

VBe it known that we, HENRY EDWARDS and MILLARD F.. SADLER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Troup, in the county of Smith and Stateof Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inl/Vire-Stretching Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements'in machines or devices forstretching wire and for analogous purposes; and it consists of the novelfeatures of construction and the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter' fully described and claimed. The obect of the invention isto improve and simp ify the construction and operation of machinesofthis character and to provide one which is simple and practical inconstruction, powerful and effective in operation, convenient and easyto adjust and manipulate and adapted for a variety of uses. l

The above and other objects of the invention are attained in itspreferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratingl the use of our invention instretching a wire fence or wire netting; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view through the stretcher showing it adapted for drawingtogether the ends of two wires which are to be united', Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the lane of the operating lever; Fig. 4 is adetail) transverse section through the end piece 4 of the body or frameof the device; Fig. 5 is adetail view of the lever and the partsattached to it g and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section through thelever.

Our improved Wire stretcher comprises a body or frame 1 in the form of asubstantially rectangular loop composed of a U- shaped member havingside bars2 united at one end by a curved integral portion 3 and at theiropposite ends by a removable cross piece or bar 4 which is formed at itsends with o enings to Vreceive the side bars 2 and w l 'ch is secured bytransverse bolts or simi-v lar fastenin s 5. The side bars 2 of theframe or bo y have smooth inner edges but their outer edges are formedwith notches which provide ratchet teeth 6, 7, In, the curved or closedend 3 of the body 1 is formed a centrally disposed, longitudinallyextending opening in which is swiveled a`v hook 8, and a similar hook 9is swiveled in an opening formed in the center of the cross piece orbar4. The latter has its central part recessed upon one side, as shown at10,

for .a purpose presently explained.

Mounted for sliding movement Within the frame is a pawl and levercarrying member 11 which is in the form of a substantially rectangularplate or block adapted to slide freely between the straight inner edgesof the side bars 2. This slide or block 11 is retained in the frame by alever 12 consisting, preferably, of tWo similar metal strips or plateshaving their central portions engaged With each other and united by oneor more rivets 13 and their inner end portions 14 spaced apart andengaged with the opposite are pivoted intermediate their ends at 18between the spaced inner ends 14 of the lever plates or members and theyare disposed V upon the outer sides of the bars 2, 2 so as to engage theratchets upon the latter. Each of said pawls has a fiat inner edge, atapered portion or pawl proper at one end and a finger piece 19 at itsother end. The outer ends 2() 'of the plates or4 members of the leverare spaced apart and surrounded by bands 21 secured by rivets or thelike 22. The parts 20, 21 form a socket for a removable handle 23 whichmay be used when it is desired to lengthen the lever 12 to obtaingreater leverage.

When the machine is to be used for stretching a Wire, wire fencing, formoving heavy objects, or for analogous purposes, either the body orframe 1 by means of swivel 9 or the block 11 by means of device 41. maybe secured to a post or other stationary object, but we preferably fixthe block 11 by means of a chain or similar flexible element 24 whichhas one of its ends secured in an `opening 25 in the block 11 and itsother end provided with a hook 26 which may be engaged With any of thelinks of said chain after the latter has been passed around a post 27 orany other stationary object.

It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 2 that by providing the recess10 in the cross bar 4 the chain 24 is permitted to extend in a straightline from the post 27 to the block 1l so that the line of strain ordraft will be straight.

It Will be understood that the machine may be otherwise anchored by any`sui-table means. Y .m

28 similar to the chain 24 is provided Afor temporarily' anchoring thebody or 'frame l after the dogs have traveled from one end of theratchets to the other anc it is desired to have the dogs take a l'urthergrip upon the latter to continue the stretching operation. This chain 28has one ol'its ends provided with a ,hook 29 and its other end engagedwith theswiveled hook S). It will be noted that this hook 9 has itsmouth almostclosed sothat there nillbe little likelihood of the chain28becoming disconnected.

' end a ring 32 to which `are connected two fastenings.

branch chains 33, 34 which have upon their free ends hooks 85. Thelatter are adapted to be engaged with a clamp 36 of any suitable `l'ormand construction arranged upon the end oi the -.Wire .fencing 37 that isto be stretched. As shown, this clamp 36 consists of two strips of woodengaged with the opposite faces of the wire fencing 37 and securedthereto by nails, bolts, kor other The hooks 35, which are rectangularinform, are passed aroundthe opposite side faces of said clamping stripsat points suitably distant .from vtheir center, as clearly shown in Fig.1.

When asingle `fence wire or the like is to be stretchedywe preferablyemploy a wire clamp3'8 Whichis swiveled at 39 upon a loop 40 which isadapted to be engaged with the n sWiveledchook 8 in place of the loop310i the device 30. The clamp 38 may ibe olI any suitable forni andconstruction, but as `illustrated, it comprises a body shaped-to providea stationary clamp aw and a pivoted cam or eccentric which forms themovable clamp Jaw.

' When the machine is-to be used l'or drawing togetherthe ends of twowires which are to be united, We employ the clamp 38 lor use upon one olthe wires and a similar clamp 471 for .use upon .the `other wire, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. The clamp 41 is swiveled at 42 upon the outerend of a rod 43, -Which latter has its other end swiveled in an opening44 in the block .11 by bending said other end at right angles, passingit through the opening 14, and heading or upsetting ksaid end, .asclearly shown in the drawings.

In operation, ,assuming the parts vto be in the position shown -in Fig.1,'When thelever is lmoved in one direction, yone of the dogs willengage one ,of the teeth of its ratchet so that the body l and the blockor slide il willniove longitudinally in op osite directionsxwhile theotherv dog willshp backvard uponits ratchet to engage the next tooth.VWhen the lever 1s oscillatcd 1n the opposite other. After the dogs havemoved from one end of their ratchets `to the other and the block 11 isat the closed end 2% ol' the body l, the chain 2S which is attached tothe hook Q on the body is passed around the post 27 and its hook 2)engaged with one oll its links so as to anchor the body l. The handles19 ot `the dogs are then pressed inwardly to disengage them from theirrateheis so that the block 1i may be moved to the other end of the bodyl. \Vhen the latter is done the chain 24 is tightened and the abovedescribed operation repeated. When a fence wire is to be stretelu-rd thewire clamp 38 vis substituted for the connection 3() and when the endsof two wires are to be brought together and united one wire is connectedto the clamp 3S and the other wire to the clamp 41.

While we have mentioned a l'ew ol the uses of the machine it will beunderstood that it may be used in `various other ways, lor example, formoving heavy machineriv through short distances, for pulling` iron safesand other heavy loads up inclined planes, as into wagons, etc., forerecting and putting into position heavy timbers in buildings, bridges,etc., for erecting smoke stacks, for straightening up storm shakenltelephone poles, etc.

Having thus describedour invention what we claim is:

l. A wire stretcher comprising a U-shaped body having a. closed end andspaced side bars, the latter being provided with ratchet teeth, a crossbar havingopenings at its ends to receive the side bars of the body, itsintermediate portion having in one side an ollset and a ce Atralopening, a chain connection swiveled in the last mentioned opening,transverse fastenings uniting .the ends ,ol the cross bar to the sidebars ot the. body, a block slidable between the side bars ol' the body,a chain connected to said block and adapted to extend through the offsetin the cross bar, a lever having at its inner end spaced plates toreceive said block and the side bars of the body between them, saidplates being pivoted intermediate their ends to the block, whereby thelatter will bc retained in the body and. the lever will be fulcruined,and `pawls pivoted between the spaced plates of the lever and adapted toengage the ratchet teeth on said .side bars.

2. The herein described wire stretcher comprising an open body formed bybending a bar upon itself to provide a closed end and two side members,the latter having their outer edges notched to provide 4ratchet teethand the closed end having a central opening, a hook having a shankpassed through the latter and its inner end upset to provide a swiveledconnection, a cross bar formed at its ends with openings to receive theends of the side members of the body, the intermediate portion of saidcross bar having anl oiset portion in one side and a central opening,transverse fastenings passing through the ends of the cross bar and thebody bar, a hook having a shank passed through the central opening inthe cross bar and its end upset to provide a swiveled connection, ablock slidable between the smooth inner edges of the side members of thebody, said block being formed with an opening, a wire clamp, a rodhaving a swiveled connection with the latter at one end and its otherend' bent at right angles and passed through the opening in said block,the extremityof said bent end of therod being upset to provide aswiveled connection, achain attached to said block and adapted to extendthrough the offset intermediate portion of said cross bar, an operatinglever having at its inner end two spaced plates to receive said blockand the ratchet members of the body between them, said plates beingpivoted intermediate their ends to the block, whereby the latter will beretained in the body and the lever will be fulorumed, and pawls pivotedbetween said spaced plates and adapted to engage the ratchet teeth uponthe body, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof we hereunto afIiX our signatures in the presence oftwo wit nesses.

HENRY EDWARDS. MILLARD F. SADLER.

V/Vitnesses JNO. WALTON PAcLY,

J. A. HARRIS.

